The present invention relates to surgical apparatus for retracting anatomy to provide exposure of the operative site, and more particularly relates to a retraction apparatus that is sturdy, adjustable, and conducive to thorough sterilization.
During surgical procedures, a surgeon will typically make an incision in a patient to access the sites of interest, such as internal organs and bone structures, for a particular procedure. A surgical retractor system is typically utilized to maintain clear access to the site of interest. Retractors are designed to hold back the anatomy in the immediate area of the operative site to enable a surgeon to have both an optimal view of the site and a sufficiently open area within which to work.
The usefulness of any retractor device is necessarily limited by the number of ways that the retractor can be positioned with respect to the retracted anatomy as well as the ease with which the surgeon can adjust the relative position of the retractor both before and during surgery. The less obstructive and more versatile a retractor device is, the more desirable it becomes for use in the above-described manner. Thus, variance in types of surgery and patient size necessitates surgical retractor systems that are adjustable. In addition, equipment sterilization requirements call for a device that can be thoroughly cleansed by conventional means in a safe and easy manner.
A surgical retractor system typically consists of a rail clamp, a frame connected to the rail clamp, and retractor blades that are clamped to the frame. The rail clamp is commonly secured to an operating table and provides a fixed and sturdy support for the frame and the retractor blades. Each of the components in a typical surgical retractor system is conventionally made of stainless steel, although, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,033,363, parts of the system may be made from a nonconductive material. The reason that stainless steel is generally used is that stainless steel is easily sterilized. As would be expected, before any use of the surgical retractor system can be made during a surgical procedure, the system must be thoroughly sterilized for the protection of the patient. This sterilization is performed in the standard methods well known in the art.
Often, a surgical retractor system frame includes one or more posts, each connected to the operating table by a rail clamp. Typically, some form of support structure for supporting retractor blades is connected to the post(s) by clamps. Prior art support structures include individual straight support arms joined to each other and/or the frame with clamps. Because their use can involve aligning multiple pieces and connecting the pieces with clamps, their set up during a surgical procedure can be time consuming. Additionally, such a system can have a number of arms and clamps that must be sterilized before every procedure, and stored between uses.
Some past prior art retractor systems, such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,916, include bent support arms. While eliminating the need for a clamp at the portion between bends in the arm, these systems cannot be repositioned or adjusted, thereby reducing the flexibility and versatility of these systems. Additionally, the large bent support arms are difficult to store, and may not fit in standard sterilization cases.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved surgical retractor.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a surgical retractor system having a retractor frame that will facilitate precise placement of retractor blades relative to the patient.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a surgical retractor system that will be sturdy as well as easy to sterilize and store.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in a surgical retractor system that retracts anatomy during all types of surgery. The system is particularly applicable to morbid obese and liver procedures. The system includes a retractor frame secured to an operating structure, such as an operating table. Retractor blades are supported by the retractor frame. The retractor frame includes a cross bar. The cross bar comprises a plurality of cross bar sections. Each of the cross bar sections is pivotally connected to its adjacent cross bar section(s).